The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sahib Singh remembered

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Thursday, Jul 12, 2007
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New Delhi

Sahib Singh remembered

Madhur Tankha

NEW DELHI: Politicians cutting across party lines remembered former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma on Wednesday as a leader who went out of his way to help poor farmers and victims of the Gujarat earthquake and also tried to redress the problems of people living in the Capital’s unauthorised colonies.

“Farmer face”

Addressing a condolence meeting organised at a packed Talkatora Indoor Stadium here, BJP president Rajnath Singh described Mr. Verma as the farmer face of Indian politics. “He was the voice of the poor, who was not only a political leader but also a social worker. He was always concerned about farmers and labourers. He was strongly in favour of framing laws for the workers of the unorganised sector.”

Delhi Health Minister Yoganand Shastri said: “There were occasions when both of us worked together in the interest of the people of Delhi. Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit could not come today because of an urgent meeting but she has conveyed her heartfelt condolence to the departed soul”.

Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan described Mr. Verma as a tall leader who worked passionately for farmers, slum dwellers and rickshaw pullers.

“As Chief Minister, Mr. Verma pleaded before the courts to look into the grievances of people living in unauthorised colonies. He worked hard for addressing the concerns of people and his honest approach towards solving problems endeared him to the citizens of Delhi,” he added.

Describing Mr. Verma’s death as a great personal loss, BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi said he was a true grassroots leader who through sheer hard work came into the hurly burly of politics. “As Union Minister, he started a pilot project to provide employment and medical facilities to the unorganised labour. He provided accommodation to earthquake victims in Gujarat. In his last days, he worked tirelessly for the people of Rajasthan”.

Stating that he came to know the late leader after the Emergency came to an end, former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana said only recently he had a meeting with Mr. Verma. “I couldn’t imagine in my wildest dreams that he was about to leave the world in such a short time.”

Mr. Verma was killed in a road accident at Alwar in Rajasthan on June 30.

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